If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in the Inland Empire, the agency that wrote the report, the court where a case would be filed and the public agency that may share the blame all depend on which county and city you were in. This page explains how those pieces work across the Inland Empire, links to our pages for individual cities, and explains how our Orange County personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for an Inland Empire personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases throughout the Inland Empire, and the first consultation is free.
Counties in the Inland Empire
There is no single legal definition of the Inland Empire, but government sources use the name for Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The State of California’s Census 2020 outreach materials state that “Region 7, the Inland Empire, consists of Riverside and San Bernardino,” and San Bernardino County notes that the U.S. Census Bureau defines the region as the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area.
Inland Empire cities we serve
Each of these pages explains how to get a collision report from the local police or sheriff, where claims against that city go, and which courthouse serves it:
- Riverside personal injury attorneys
- San Bernardino personal injury attorneys
- Ontario personal injury attorneys
- Fontana personal injury attorneys
- Rancho Cucamonga personal injury attorneys
- Redlands personal injury attorneys
- Corona personal injury attorneys
- Beaumont personal injury attorneys
- Murrieta personal injury attorneys
- Temecula personal injury attorneys
- Victorville personal injury attorneys
- Palm Springs personal injury attorneys
- Palm Desert personal injury attorneys
Collision reports and the CHP in the Inland Empire
The CHP Inland Division has Area offices that include Riverside, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, Barstow, Arrowhead, Morongo Basin and Needles. The CHP describes the division’s western section as including the busy interchanges of Interstates 10, 15 and 215 and Highways 210, 91, 71 and 60. The CHP Border Division runs the Indio, San Gorgonio Pass, Blythe and Temecula Area offices. Freeway crashes are generally handled by the CHP, so the Area office for that stretch of road is usually where the report is.
Crashes on city streets are usually handled by the city police department or, in cities that contract for policing, the county sheriff. The city pages above explain how to request those reports.
Courts in the Inland Empire
- Riverside County Superior Court: under an administrative order effective August 1, 2026, unlimited civil cases are filed at the Riverside Historic Courthouse, 4050 Main Street, Riverside, for most of the county; the Palm Springs Courthouse for desert communities such as Indio, Palm Desert and Coachella; and the Menifee Justice Center for Menifee, Temecula, Anza and Aguanga.
- San Bernardino County Superior Court: limited and unlimited civil cases are accepted at the San Bernardino Justice Center, 247 West 3rd St., San Bernardino; the Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse, 8303 Haven Avenue; and the Victorville Courthouse, 14455 Civic Drive.
If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Public transit in the Inland Empire
Public transit in the region is run by several agencies. The Riverside County Transportation Commission lists bus service from Riverside Transit Agency, SunLine Transit Agency and several cities, and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority lists Omnitrans, Victor Valley Transit Authority, Mountain Transit, Basin Transit and Needles Area Transit. Metrolink commuter rail serves both counties, and Metrolink also operates the Arrow line in San Bernardino County.
Cases we handle for people hurt in the Inland Empire
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in the Inland Empire in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What an Inland Empire injury claim can cover
California law sorts personal injury damages into a few categories:
- Economic damages: objectively verifiable money losses, such as medical expenses, lost earnings and the cost of repairing or replacing property (Civil Code section 1431.2).
- Non-economic damages: subjective losses such as pain, suffering, emotional distress and loss of companionship (same section).
- Punitive damages: available only in limited cases, when it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with oppression, fraud or malice (Civil Code section 3294).
What a particular claim is worth depends on the injuries, the evidence and the insurance available, so we review each case individually and never promise a result.
How an Inland Empire personal injury case usually moves
- Free consultation. You tell us what happened and we explain your options. There is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.
- Investigation. We gather the collision or incident report, photos, witness information and your medical records.
- Claim and negotiation. We present the claim to the insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement.
- Government claim if needed. If a city, county, Caltrans or another public agency may share responsibility, we prepare the written claim before the six-month deadline.
- Lawsuit if needed. If the case does not settle, we file a lawsuit in the proper California Superior Court and keep pushing toward trial.
Deadlines and fault rules that apply to every California injury claim
- Two years to file a lawsuit. Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
- Six months for claims against a public agency. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, for example because of a dangerous road condition or a government vehicle, a written claim generally must be presented within six months after the claim accrues under Government Code section 911.2. Missing that deadline can end the claim.
- Partly at fault does not mean no recovery. California uses pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804). If you share some of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Inland Empire personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in the Inland Empire?
B&D Law Group, APLC handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. The consultation is free.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in the Inland Empire?
Most California personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim generally must be presented within six months (Government Code section 911.2).
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
California follows pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.). If you share some of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Can I make a claim against a city or county?
Yes, but California requires a written claim to the public agency before a lawsuit can be filed (Government Code section 945.4), and the claim generally must be presented within six months. Our city pages explain where claims against each city go.
Where do I get my accident report in the Inland Empire?
It depends on where the crash happened. Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol, and crashes on city streets by the local police or sheriff. The city pages linked above explain how to request each report.
Talk to a B&D Law Group attorney
B&D Law Group, APLC represents people hurt in the Inland Empire across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Our nearest office is the Orange County office at 2 S. Pointe Dr, Ste 248, Lake Forest. The consultation is free, and we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call (888) 977-2238 or send us your case details. You can also see all areas we serve.
Attorney advertising. This page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this page or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Agency procedures, fees and data on this page were checked against official sources in October 2026 and can change. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.